Allergy to Cats
People who are allergic to cats constitute around 10 percent of the population in the U.S.A. you might think that the hair and the fur of the cat might cause that allergy, which is not so. It is the protein that you come in contact with from the saliva of the cat, the dander, and the urine that causes the allergy in you. In general if you have an immune system that is oversensitive then you might have cat allergy and even become allergic to other foreign bodies. The oversensitive immune systems in your body fight the common and harmless things like dander as they would fight the viruses. That is the reason for the cat allergy.
Even if you do not have cat allergy there are chances for you to be allergic due to cat as they might bring in the pollens and dust from outside. These particles might cause you the allergy which might be mistaken as the cat allergy. However the cat might be a potential pet that might cause allergy in you.
Many people think that it is the fur what causes the allergy but it is not. The allergens pass to a person when it has become airborne.
You can find out if you have cat allergy by the symptoms displayed. A person having cat allergy might display symptoms like sneezing, coughing, rashes in face and chest, hives, red eyes and itchy eyes. These cat allergy symptoms are to be watched in your body. Apart from these cat allergy symptoms the skin that comes into contact with the saliva of the cat might become red which is also another symptom of cat allergy. Some might even have itchy nose and stuffy nose as a symptom of cat allergy. Quite a few people who are already allergic to some other foreign bodies might have severe allergy when they come into contact with the cats.
Drugs that are commonly used in the treatment of allergies might also be used in the treatment of cat allergies. You can even get these medications over-the-counter. Antihistamines like Claritin and Benadryl can be used for treatment of cat allergies. Prescription drugs like Allegra or Zyrtec can also be used in treating cat allergies. Nasal sprays like Astelin also find some use in treating cat allergies. Decongestants also find their place in the treatment of cat allergies. Sudafed which can be got over-the-counter is used in treating cat allergy. Prescription decongestants like Allegra-D are also used in treating cat allergy. Certain steroids like Flonase and Nasonex which are used in treating common allergies can also be used in the treatment of cat allergies.
Taking such medications for cat allergy is not the permanent cure to cat allergy. It is better to consult your doctor to find out if using such medications would work for you. It might take years before you get complete treatment. As with the saying, prevention is better than cure, you can work out on the ways to prevent such cat allergy instead of thinking of treatment. It is better to avoid contacts with your pets if you seem to be allergic to pets like cat. You can restrict your activities with your cats like kissing them, hugging them and touching them. Although it is wise to not have cats in your house, it is not possible in most of the cases if other members of your house like cats. Hence it is better to restrict its movements to certain parts of the house and not certainly in your room. You can avoid contacting them. You have to keep your house clean to get rid of dander that causes cat allergy.
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